Ornamentation and decoration of sheet metal articles



y 1938 K. GKNTERI ET AL I ORNAMENTATION AND DECORATION OF SHEET METAL ARTICLES Filed March 18, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M a KARL GINTER 26 EODOR G1 Y 1933. K; GINTER ET AL 2,125,197

ORNAMENTATION AND DECORATION OF SHEET METAL ARTICLES Filed March 18, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR KARL GINTER THEODOR G/NT-E ATTORNEYS July 26, 1938. y GNTER L 2,125,1W?

ORNAMENTATION AND DECORATION OF SHEET METAL ARTICLES Filed March 18, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR KARL. GINTER "$115000? GINT ATTO RN EYS Patented July 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENTATION AND DECORATION OF- SHEET METAL ARTICLES Karl Ginter and Theodor Ginter, New York, N. Y.

Application March 18,

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of decorating and ornamenting sheet metal articles and particularly relates to a method for decorating and ornamenting sheet metal articles, the

surfaces of which are curved or constitute surfaces of. revolution.

Although not restricted thereto, the present invention will be particularly directed to the ornamentation of spherical or hemi-spherical 10 surfaces, spheroids or hemispheroids, ellipsoidal surfaces, parabaloid surfaces, hyperboloid sur-.

faces, conical and conoid surfaces and also various combinations of these aforementioned suror three dimensions.

Sheet metal articles of the character above described and having surface revolutions involving one or more of'the above specific surfaces, cannot be readily stamped out in a single stamping operation from flat metal stock without construction of very expensive and complicated multi piece molds and even if the articles be drawn, 'stamped or otherwise formed, it is most difllcult to ornament them without the employment of that the form and shape of the ornamentation cannot be readily changed without increasing the expense with substantial delay before the ornamented articles may be actually put upon the market after they have been ordered. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved and inexpensive process for ornamenting and decorating hollow sheet metal articles of the character above described at decreased expense and with decreased time elapsing between the time of the order and the time of delivery, without the necessity of constructing expensive dies.

Another objectv of the present invention is to provide an improved decorating or ornamenting process for hollow ware of the character above described by which it may be possible to obtain .50 a wide variety of difierent shapes and designs with only slight modifications of the male or female die element.

A further object is to provide an improved decorating process and a die to beutilized therein in which unusual reentrant or curved decorations faces with the curvature extending in either two 1938, Serial No. 196,714

of irregular or sinuous or other nature may be applied to the surface of the sheet metal articles without increased expense and with assurance that the ornamented or sheet metal article may be readily removed after decorating operation without the necessity of making a'multi-part mold.

Other objects will be obvious or will appear during the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most suitable to provide a base structure of metal such as cast iron, wood or other tough material which may either have a cavity or projections of substantially'the same shape as the hollow sheet metal article before decoration.

The male or female portion of. this base is preferably devoid of all irregularities, protuberances, recesses or embossments and is smooth to conform in contourand in its surface of revolution to the contour and surface of revolution of the curved metal hollow article or blank.

The hollow metal article should preferably first be drawn, shaped or otherwise formed of sheet metal, for example of brass,. copper, aluminum, zinc, iron or magnesium plate which may vary from '3: to of an inch in thickness and, at all times, be preferably substantially less than A; of an inch in thickness.

The base element, if it be female, should preferably be slightly larger than the sheet metal articleso that a die plate may be inserted between the hollow sheet metal .article and the recess in the base forming the female element.

7 Where, however, the base is the male element, the base should be somewhat smaller than the formed or shaped, decorated or undecorated article, so that there will be sufliclent space for the placement of a perforated die. plate between the male base and the interior side oruconcav'ity of the hollow sheet metal article.

The die plate which formsan essential feature of the present invention consists of arelatively thin sheet metal article of the same contour as the male or female element on the base and has the hollow curved sheet metal article and it is preferably of the same order of thickness as the hollow sheet metal article to be decorated or ornamented, although it may be substantially thicker and may vary in thickness from a; to

1.8 inches, the thickness of. the die plate varying or cutv that the base itself will form part of the die face in the area corresponding to the perforations. 7

Preferably, the die plate should only be connected to the male or female elements of the base at its periphery and should be devoid of connection over the entire area which is designed to be applied to the hollow sheet metal article.

At the same time, the piercing or perforation upon the die plate is carried out in such a manner that the die plate has spaced narrow metal bridges which will have sufficient resiliency that when the pressure is released after the forming operation, the die plate will reject or dislodge the decorated or ornamented article.

In the most desirable construction, the die plate over its entire area closely contacts with the male or female portion of the base so that when the die plate is pressed against the base each part of it will closely contact with and be pressed against thebase and there will be no tendency for the die plate at all to collapse against the base as would happen if there were embossments or protuberances therein by which portions of the die plate would be separated away from the base.

In certain less preferred forms the ornamentation on the die plate would be provided by cutting through the die plate partly instead of by the piercing or perforation above described, or strips of metal or other embossments or protuberances may be soldered or deposited upon the surface of the die plate.

These constructions, however, are not preferred and the preferred construction includes the pierc ing of the die plate to form flowered, curved, sinuous, circular, figured, animate, inanimate, geographical, architectural, or other designs.

In the drawings are shown several preferred embodiments of the present invention to which, however, the invention is by no means limited, since these embodiments are shown merely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the hollow sheet metal article of hemispheroidal or ellipsoidal shape before ornamentation or decoration.

Figure 2 is a top view of one form of perforated die plate which may be employed for ornamentingthe hollow sheet article of Figure 1.

Figure 2A is a fragmentary cross sectional view upon enlarged scale upon the line 2A-A of Figure 2.

Figures 215 and 2C are similar cross sectional views as Figures 2A of alternative constructions.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side sectional views upon the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figures 2 I and 3.

Figure 5 illustrates a die combination of a base die, a perforated die plate and hollow sheet metal article before forming, the die construction being of the female type.

Figures 6 and '7 are respectively top and side views of the article which may be formed from the plate of Figures 1 and 3 by use of the perforated die plate, as illustrated in Figure 5.

Figures 8 to 15 illustrate an alternative blank.

die base and die plate, Figures 8 and 9 being respectively top and side sectional views of the hollow sheet metal article before ornamentation; Figure 9 being taken on the line 99 of Figure 8. Figures 10 to 12 illustrate the die plate construction to be utilized in connection with the blank of Figures 8 and 9, Figures 10, 11 and 12 respectively being a top view and side sections upon the lines and |2|2 of Figure 10 of the die plate.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view of the combination of the die plate, base, and hollow sheet metal article before ornamentation. Figures 14 and 15 are respectively top and side views of the hollow metal articles of Figures 8 and 9, after ornamentation.

Figures 16 to 24 illustrate various types of hollow sheet metal articles which may be decorated by a male die construction and various types of perforated or pierced die plates which may be utilized in connecti n therewith.

In Figures 16 to 2 Figures 16, 19 and 22 illustrate the drawn or shaped hollow sheet metal articles or blanks before ornamentation or decoration; Figures 17, 18, 20, 23 and 24 illustrate the sheet metal articles after they have been ornamented; Figures 17A, 18A, 20A, 23A and 24A'illustrate the die plates which may be utilized in making these ornamented surfaces; and Figure 21 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross sectional view of the die structure, showing the plate and hollow sheet metal article positioned thereon before decorating or ornamenting.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 to '7, the sheet metal article A is shown as of hemi-spheroid or hemi-ellipsoid form with a curved side I0 and a fiat base II, the desired ornamentation to be applied across said curved side I0, and to extend partly onto said flat base I.

The die plate B has a base portion I2, the recesses, depressions, piercings or perforations I3 be produced. The piercings or openings I3 are separated by the thin narrow bridges l4 and with the outer rim I5 having openings H5 at a point beyond the periphery ||A of the hollow ware A when inserted thereinto.

p The base 0 is provided with a hollow having a flat bottom conforming to the flat bottoms H and I2 of the elements A and B and with the curved sides l8 conforming to the curved sides of the hollow ware A and the curved bridges H of the die plate B.

The contour of elements A, B and C is substantially identical and these elements are substantially of the same volumetric content.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the edge of the recess in the base C is curved at H) to conform to the curve of the rim l5 of the die plate B and under said curved rim, the base is provided with the tapped holes 20 which receive the screws 2| extending through the openings IS in the die plate B.

It will be noted from Figures 2A and 5 that the die plate closely contacts with the hollow or recess in the base C, as indicated at 22' and 23, so that there will be a full support of the die plate B by the base C during the forming operation.

Although the edges of the bridges l4 maybe rounded, as indicated at 24, they may also be pointed, as indicated at 25 in Figure 2B and preferably they should not be recessed, as indicated at 26 in Figure 20, since this may tend to permit the edges of the bridges M to collapse toward the smooth unornamented and undecorated die base recess indicated by the numerals l1, l8, in Figure 5. I

It will be noted that the die plate is fixedly attached at 2| to the base '0 but is devoid of attachment inside of the screws 2| so. that there may be a slight resilient movement between the bridges l4 and the recess l1 and I8 which would occur-during pressure application upon the plate A and would cause the plate A to be ejected or Figures 6 and 7.

pushed'out of the recesses corresponding the piercings l3, afterthe pressure has been released.

This ejection or automatic release of the decorated plates occurs along' the curved bridges It or along the curved piercings or along narrow curved metal bridges, as shown at l3 of Figure 2, and in the other die plate structures to be subsequently described.

If desired, beforethe plate A is inserted in the die structure of Figure 5, consisting of the base C and the die plate B, a form may be cast or taken from the combination of the die plate B and the base C. This casting may be utilized after suitable alignment to cause the metal, indicated at 21, to collapse into the recesses 28 with the resultant formation of the depressions 29and the ridges 30 in the ornamented plate of Figures 6 and 7. a

This will give a very sharp outline corresponding to the piercings or perforations I3 of the die plate B. 'If a softer outline is desired, a rubber mat may be pressed under high pressure into the recess in Figure 5 in the direction indicated by the arrow 3| to give 'the decorated object It will be noted that the portions 29 of the decorated plate A of Figures 6 and 7 are collapsed against the portions of the recess l1, l8, in the die base 0, which are exposed by the perforations, openings or recesses IS in the die plate B.

It is readily apparent that many different types of die plates B may be utilized with other forms of decoration or ornamentation or piercing or recessing as is subsequently described in connection with the other embodiments.

In Figures 8 and 9, the hollow article is shown of conoid shape with the sides of the cone being somewhat concaved as best shown at 35 in Fig-- ure 9. a The conoid A'- is provided'with a vertical rim 36 and a flat base 31. -The die plate shown in Figures 10 to 12 is provided with a fiat base 38 corresponding to the flat base 31 of the hollow metal article A and with the curved sidewalls 39 conforming in curvature and contour to the side walls 35 of the hollow metal article A. The straight vertical wall of the plate B conforms closely to the vertical portion 36 of the article A. The outwardly extending flange 4| of the plate B has the openings 42-which receive the screws 43 (see Figure 13) extending into the tapped recesses 44 in the base 0'.

The base C is provided with a flat bottom portion 45 corresponding to the portions 31 and 38 of the article A. and the die plate 3' with a curved side portion 46 corresponding closely in contour and curvature to the curved side portions 35 of the article A and, 39 of the die plate B. The vertical side portions 41 correspond closely to the vertical rim portions 36of the article A" and 40 of the die plate B. i

The top 48 of the die base C receives the flange 4! of the die plate B.

The die plate is provided with the recessed piercings or perforations 49 which extend at 50 into the base 39 thereof, with the depressed or recessed engraved portions and 52 which do not extend all the way through. the-die plate B", and with the soldered embossments or elevations 53 which consist of strips of metal welded or soldered onto the curved side faces 39 of the die plate B. v

If desired,'the flowers 52 might be pierced all the way through the die plate B, but in the form shown, it is desired that these ornamentations have less depth than the main ornamentation which corresponds to the perforations 49.

At the same time, it is also possible to elevate part of the metal of the blank A by the embossments 53 while the rest'is being collapsed into the piercings 49 and recesses 5| and 52.

In the similar manner, as previously described, the metal portions 55 may be collapsed into the openings 56, as indicated in Figure 13, and into the piercings or recesses 49, 5| and 52 of Figure 10. 1

As a result, the finished article, as shown in Figures 14 and 15 ,will have the embossed stripes 60, the slightly recessed flowered design iii, the slightly recessed stripes B2 and the deeply recessed stripes 63. These deep recesses 63 extend at 64 on to the base 31.

Figure ldshows'conical form A having the smooth conical sidewall 15, a vertical rim 16 and a stepped cut off peak 11.

The structure A is designed to be utilized in connection with the die plates B and B of Figures 17A and 18A-and a male base structure C (Figure 21.) The male die base structure C is smooth at 89 to conform in contour'and curvature exactly to the blank A and the sides 15 thereof.

It will be noted that the perforated die plate elements B and B are provided with conical side surfaces 78 and I9 closely conforming with the sidesurfaces 80 of the base C and 15 of the blank A The lower portions 8| and B2 of the die plate elements B and B are provided with the openings 83 and 84 which enable these conical guide plates to be screwed onto the base C as indi-- cated by the screws 85 in C It win be noted that the die plate elements B and B are pierced, as indicated -at 86 and 81 with the result that when the blank A is placed over the combination of the base C and the die plates B or B the metal of the cone 15 will be collapsedinto the recesses formed by said piercings and against the exposed portions of the face!!!) of the base element C To form the depressed ornamentation 90 and 9| respectively, as shown in Figures .17 and 18.

the narrow spiraloid curved bridges or vanes 92 of Figure 17A are particularly valuable in ejecting or releasing the decorated form of Figure 17.

It will be noted that the piercings 86 of Figure 17A are of such a nature that if a die were formed, considerable difliculty would be experienced in releasing the decorated article, as indicated in Figure 17. By the device of the present application, the resiliency of the curved vanes 92 automatically releases the decorated article.

The decoration 99 and 9| of Figures 17 and 18 may be applied, as indicated in Figure 21, by

spinning the base C upon a shaft '93 with thedie plates B or B in position thereon. A wooden object or other device may be pressed against the die blank A? during the spinning operation.

The bridges 94 of Figure 18A also have a resilient releasing action similar to, but not as strong as that of the bridges 92 of Figure 17A. Referring to the conical blank A with the conical side 95, the die plate B is provided with a conical surface 96 closely conforming to that of 95 and with the piercing 91 forming the releasing bridges 98.

The rim 99 is provided with holes I00 to hold l the die plate B upon a conforming base similar to that shown at C of Figure 21.

, When the blank A is placed over the die plate B which in the meanwhile has been placed,

upon a conical base, the spinning operation will cause the metal of the blank A to collapse into the piercings 91 forming ornamentation i0l,-

illustrated in Figure 20.

The blank A of Figure 22 takes the form of a hemisphere and it is designed to cooperate with a die base of conforming shape and with the pierced die plates 13 or B The blank A has a hemispherical surface conforming to the hemispherical contour I l I and H2 of the pierced die plates B and B The piercings H3 and H4 leave the bridges H5 and H6 which act as resilient releases in the manner previously described.

The die plates B and B are attached to the die base by screws extending through the holes H1 in the rims H8 and they are of the same volume, shape and contour as a conforming recessed female element or a projecting male ele-- ment, constituting the die base.

After the spinning or forming operation, the blank A will receive the ornamentation I20 or III with the metal constituting the side H0 thereof collapsing into the piercings H3 and H4 and against the exposed portions of the smooth conforming male or female face of the die base.

The die plates shown in Figures 17A, 18A, 20A, 23A and 24A, which are designed to be utilized upon a spinning element, as indicated in Figure 21, may also be termed chuck or forming plates, if desired, instead of die plates,

It is thus apparent that the present applicants have provided a simple, inexpensive die construction including a readily replaceable die plate in which the piercings may be cut by a saw, file or other means to give a desired ornamentation or decoration to a conforming sheet metal blank.

-It will be noted that the die base is on the interior and the blank is on the exterior when the male die construction is employed, as for example, in connection with a spinning operation, while the blank is on the inside and the recess of the female die element is on the outside and a pressing ormolding operation is employed for the decoration.

In all cases, the perforated, engraved or embossed die plate is inserted between and closely conforms to the blank and female recess or male projection of the die base in contour, curvature, shape and volume.

Generally, the bridges between the piercings should always extend over the curved surfaces of revolution or conical or spherical contours so as to form the resilient releasing bridges aforedescribed, which will automatically release the ornamented article after the forming operation.

The die plates preferably should be of harder material than the blanks and they also may be of greater thickness than 'the blanks. Their thicknesses give an accurate control of the depth of the embossing-effect obtained as a result of the ornamentation process.

The blanks themselves, which are formed, may consist of thin sheet metal-preferably relatively soft and thinner than the die plate materialand they may be of copper, brass, zinc, pewter,

silver, aluminum and steel plate varying from per square inch may be' employed depending pierced, by the die base which closely conforms to the interior or exterior of the die plate, so that substantially no collapsing or deformation of the die plate can take place and so that the die base and the die plate act together as a unit die to form or decorate the various blanks having the surfaces of revolution.

The present application is a continuation in part of application, Serial Number 87,432, filed June 26, 1936.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way o f limitation and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A forming construction for decorating and ornamenting the curved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal articles and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a base having a smooth unornamented and undecorated conformation of substantially the same shape and contour as the portion of the sheet metal article and blank to be decorated and ornamented and a forming plate having one side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, said plate having piercings corresponding in shape to the desired decoration and. ornamentation to beproduced upon said article or blank, the thickness of said plate being substantially the same as the height of the desired decoration, said blank being collapsed into the piercings -to form the ornamentation, said article or blank, plate and conformation all having substantially the same volume, contour and curvature.

2. A die construction'for decorating and ornamenting the curved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal articles and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a die base having a smooth unornamente'd and 'undecorated confor-' mation of the same shape and contour as the sheet metal article and blank to be decorated and ornamented and a die plate having one. side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, carrying relatively depressed and elevated portions .of the same character as the decora-' tion and ornamentation to be .produced upon said article or blank, said blank being collapsed into the depressed portions to form the ornamentation, said article or blank, die plate and conformation all having substantially the same volume, contour and curvature, said depressed portions consisting of piercings extending through said die plate. I

3. A die construction for decorating and ornamenting thecurved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal -articles' and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a die base having a smooth unornamented and undecorated conformation of the same shape and contour as the sheet metal article and blank to be decorated and ornamented and a die plate having one side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, carrying relatively depressed and elevated portions of the same character as the decoration and ornamentation to be produced upon said article or blank, said blank being collapsed into the depressed portions to form the ornamenta tion, said article or blank, die plate and conformation all having substantially the same volume, contour and curvature, and elevated portions being formed by thin releasing bridges formed by piercing the metal of the die plate.

4. A chuck construction for decorating and ornamenting the curved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal articles and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a base having a smooth unornamented and undecorated conformation of substantially the same shape and contour as the portion of the sheet metal article and blank to -be decorated and ornamented and a chuck plate having one side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, carrying relatively depressed and elevated portions of the same character as the decoration and ornamentation to be produced upon said article or blank, said blank being collapsed into the depressed portions to form the ornamentation, said article or blank, plate and conformation all having substantially the same volume, contour and curvature, the depth of the depressed portions being about the same as the thickness of the metal of the article or blank, said depressed portions being formed by piercings extending entirely through the forming plate.

'5. A forming construction for decorating and ornamenting the curved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal articles and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a base having a smooth unornamented and undecorated conformation of substantially the same shape and contour as the portion of the sheet metal article and blank to be decorated and ornamented and a forming plate having one side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, said plate having piercings corresponding in shape to the desired decoration and ornamentation to be produced upon said article or blank, the thickness of said plate being substantially the same as the height of the desired decoration, said blank being collapsed into the piercings to form the ornamentation, said article or blank, plate and conformation all having substantially the same volume, contour and curvature, the bottoms of said piercings being formed by the smooth conformation.

6. A forming construction for decorating and ornamenting the curved and inclined surfaces of thin hollow sheet metal articles and blanks of conical, spherical, ellipsoidal and similarly shaped articles comprising a base having a smooth unornamented and undecorated conformation of the same shape and contour as the sheet metal article and blank to be decorated and ornamented and an interchangeable chuck plate having one side closely conforming to and contacting and being supported by said conformation over its entire area, saidplate having piercings corresponding in shape to the desired KARL GINTER. THEODOR GIN'I'ER. 

